Vehicle-lamp.



M. M. RPHAHN.

yVEHICLE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, I9I4.

Patented May 18, 1915.

MRTIN MfRIPHAHN, 0F W'UNAKEE, WISCONSIN.

narnia einea venters-tenir.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

Patented May 12, 1915,

Application filed. May 29, 1914:. Serial No. 841,757.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, MARTIN M. Birmania',

a citizen of the United States, .and a resi.

dent of the city of Waunakee, county noi Dane, and Stateof Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful `improvements 1n VehielefLamps, of which the following 1s a specification.

My invention relates to vehicle lamps and more specifically to a lamp of this character With these'objects in View my inventiony consists in the combinations and arrangements. of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming-a part of'this speciication, and in- Figure 1 is. a rear elevation 'of an automobile' equipped with a lamp embodying my invention, Fig. 2 isa" central vertical section of the lamp, and Fig. 3 is asection taken on line :1cof Fig.'2.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawing comprises av lamp consisting of two sections 1 and 2 each of substantially parabolic form, 'the section 1 -being a little ismaller than the section 2.

Said sections 1 and 2 are rigidly connected by means of a tubular or hollow neck 3, the latter being provided at its rearward side with a socket l for engagement with a supporting bracket 5 provided atthe rear end of the vehicle upon which the lamp is used.

Aset screw 6 is provided for -securely fas.

tening the lamp to the supporting bracket 5 as will be readily understood. p I

The front side of each of the lamp 'sections 1 and 2 is open and arranged thereover is a lens 7 momited in a suitable circular frame or holder 8. The rearward side of the `lens frame 8 is provided with a resilient. annular lip 9 adapted for engagemeutfwith an annular groove 10 provided in the periphery of an annular reinforcing member ll'provided at the mouth of each of the sections .l and 2. With this arrangement it will be'seen thatv the lens of each section is releasably secured in position so that the samamay be readily removed when desired lin brder to gain access to the interior of the lamp.' The arrangement is such however that a tight connection is aorded between the lens and the body of each lamp section so as to effectuallyv excludey dust from the interior of the lamp.

Arranged in each section 1 centrally behind the lens 7 is an electric lamp bulb 12 the plug of which is threaded in a socket 13 rigidly secured in each section land 2 at the rearward end thereof. The conductor wires 14 'cooperating with each electric lamp bulb 12 extend from the latter through openings provided in the adjacent sides of the sections land 2, being connected at their outer endsjwith connections or binding posts 15 arranged in the neck 3 at the 'rearward side thereof. The outer ends of said binding posts or connections are connected with conductor wires 16 which lead to thesource of electrical energy carried in the vehicle in conjunction with which the lamp is employed. rlhe illuminating meansmf each section of the lamp is included in an electric circuit which is independent of the circuit coperatingwith the illuminating means of the other section so that in use, the two lparts of the lamp may be independently controlled as will be readily, understood. One side of the neck 3 is equipped with a hinged door 17 through whichaccess may be gained to the inner ends of the connections or binding posts l5 for adjustment of the conductor wires 14 as will'be readily.'

understood.

Arranged in each of the sections 1 behind e the electric lampbulb 12 thereof is avreiiector 18 of parabolic form, the front; end of said reflector being secured as shownlto the annular member 11 arranged at thev front end of each of`said sections. Formed at the side of lthe section 1 is an opening 19 positioned in the same horizontal plane with the illuminating means ofk said section, and formed in the adjacent corresponding side of the reflector 18 is an opening 20. Arranged inthe opening 19 1s a lens 21, the arrangement being such that in the operation of the lamp, in'y addition'to a ray oi? light 4being thrown forwardly from the secf tion 1, a ray of light will also be thrown laterally for illumination of the license number plate 22 of the vehicle.

In practice the lamp section 1 will be equipped with a lens 7 which is coloredred,

thissection of the lamp-'being designed.- to

serv'e as a rear qsignal or tail light. The lens 7 of the section 2 will `be simply plain glass, this section of the lamp being designed to serve as a rear' illuminating means in order to illuminate the road-wayat the rear of the vehicle in backing up. The provision of illuminating means at the rear of the vehicle such as is afforded by the section 2.of the lamp is of great advantage especially on country roads and generally where the road-Way 1s dark and unilluminated obviating the necessity of a hand lamp being used by an assistant to the operator of the car such as is'necessary at the present.

- time. By using separate electric circuits for coperation with each of the sections of the lamp it is evident that the signal section l may be constantly lighted when a signal is necessary and the section 2 lighted only y when it is desired to back up the vehicle.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction fortan-ying my invention into eiect, this is 'capable' of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I,

' therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction Set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modiiications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

-Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

A lamp comprising two lamp sections; a hollow neck rigidly connecting said 'sections; binding posts extending through the MARTIN M. RIPHAHN.

Witnesses:

HARRY J. AKom'ns, A Gr. SCHUNK. 

